408

you by any Means: for that Day fhall not come except there come a falling away firft, and that Man of Sin be revealed, the Son of Perdition:

And tells them the Man of Sin would first be revealed; Sect. 2. continually looked for. -Let no Man de- 3 Let no Man deceive ceive you by any Means, which he may ufe 2 Thef. II. 3. fo as to perfuade you of this, left finding yourselves mistaken in that Expectation, you fhould be brought to doubt of the Faith you have received, or in Apprehenfion of fo fpeedy a Diffolution of the World, you fhould be lefs attentive to fome of its Concerns than Duty or Prudence will require. For you may be affured, with Refpect to this great and important Day, that it shall not come,] till there come firft an amazing and fhameful Apoftacy (c) in the Chriftian Church itfelf; and the Man of Sin be revealed, that Antichriftian Power, which is to raise itself by fuch enormous Mischiefs; yet it is fo furely doomed to Deftruction, by the juft though long delayed Vengeance of GoD, that I cannot forbear calling him that affumes it, the Son of Perdition, as our Lord himself called Judas the Traitor. (John xvii. 4 12.) I now fpeak of one, who oppofes himself to the Intereft of true Religion, by Arts and Enterprizes in former Generations unknown, and, as Pride often goes before Deftruction, infolently exalts himself above all that is called GOD, or the Object of religious Worship (d), taking upon him 'to

con

4 Who oppofeth and exalteth himself above all that

is

called GOD, or that is

wor

See Reeves's Apol. Vol. i. pag. 30. But if it really were fo, it was an Inftance of a double Mistake in thefe good Men.

(c) An Apoftacy.] Dr. Whitby underftands this, either of the Revolt from the Remans, or the falling away of many Chriflian Converts to Judaifm, through Prejudices in favour of the Perpetuity of the Mofaick Law, or Expectations of the temporal Kingdom of the Meffiah, or the Fear of Perfecution; on each of which Topicks he enlarges with great Propriety. And Vitringa is large in fhewing, that great Apoftacy prevailed in the Chriftian Church, between the Days of Nero and Trajan. (Obferv. lib. iv. cap. 7.) Yet I have thought it my Duty, to explain this difficult but important Context, as referring to what Mr. Jofeph Mede, with fo great Propriety, calls the Apoftacy of the latter Times, and I muft refer to his learned and judicious Writings on this Head, and to Dr. Benfon's Differtation on the Man of Sin, to vindicate the Reafonableness of an Interpretation, which I have by no means Room to difcufs at large. (d) Above all that is called GOD, &c.] The Ufurpation of the Papacy in divine Things is fo unequalled, that if thefe Words are not applicable to it, it is difficult to fay, who there ever has been, or can be, to whom they fhould, belong. The Man

ner

And that the Mystery of Iniquity had begun to work.

409

troul divine Institutions, and to model every Sect. 2.
Thing according to his own arrogant Plea-
fure. So that he himself, as GOD, fets him- 2 Thef. II. 4.
Jelf in the Church, which is the Temple of
GOD, fhewing himself with fuch pompous
Parade, and fuch defpotick Authority affu-
med over the Consciences of Men, that, fo
far as Actions can speak, he in effect afferts
that he is GOD, nothing human and indeed
nothing created, having a Right fo to dic-

tate.

This is an Event of fo great Importance, 5
that I have formerly mentioned it. Remem-
ber ye not, that being yet with you, though I
fpent fo very little Time among you, I ne-
vertheless told you thefe Things, and gave you
fuch Warnings concerning them, as I ima-
gined you could not fo foon have forgot?
And now, tho' it is a tender Subject, which 6
it is not convenient to speak of in too ex-
plicite a Manner, I perfuade myself, that ye
know what reftrains him from being re-
vealed in (what might otherwise seem) his
own Time. For the Mystery of Iniquity, 7
the hidden Defign of corrupting and over-
throwing Chrift's Kingdom, which has fo
many artful Ways of infinuating itself into
the Minds of finful Men, and of introdu-
cing its own tyrannical, avaricious and am-
bitious Schemes into the Church, does already
in fome Measure work (e), amidst all the pe-
culiar

ner in which the Pope has exalted himself above Magiftrates, is equally remarkable. and detestable, but I do not apprehend it fo immediately referred to here, as his taking upon him to controul every Thing in Religion. EsCaoua has exactly the fame Signifi cation here given it. See Acts xvii. 23.

(e) The Mystery of Iniquity doth already work.] As Dr. Whitby explains the Man of Sin, of the rebellious and unbelieving Jews, he muft of Courfe explain this, of the turbulent and feditious Principles, which evidently prevailed among them; and it is agreeable to his Scheme to interpret the Impediment, fpoken of in the next Claufe, of Claudius Cæfar, whofe Favours obliged them fo, that they could not immediately break out, but who was foon taken away by a violent Death, which gave them the Opportunity they feemed fo much to wish for. See Whitby in loc. But it ap pears much more reasonable to understand the Paffage before us of the Antichriftian VOL. V. Spirit

Fff

410

Sect. 2.

7.

Chrift fhall deftroy the wicked one at his Coming,

culiar Engagements to the most humble, difinterested and upright Conduct, which 2 Thef. II. an Age and Ecclefiaftical State like ours, brings along with it. Only there is one that bindereth, till he be taken out of the Way (f), fecular Powers at prefent are a Reftraint, but when that is taken away, and different Scenes in Providence open, thefe iniquitous Principles, that are fecretly fermenting, will 8 break out in all their Force. And then the ungodly one fhall be revealed, and appear as it were unveiled in all its native Deformity; even he who shall bring the greatest Infamy and the greatest Mifery on the Chriftian World. Nevertheless, though his Reign may be of fome confiderable Duration, it fhall not be perpetual; for the Spirit teaches us to regard him as fentenced to inevitable Ruin, as one whom the Lord will certainly at length deftroy; and how firmly foever he may feem eftablished by human Policy and Power, he fhall find himfelf unable to withftand the Breath of his Mouth, which fhall kindle all around him a confuming Flame, in which all his Pomp and Pride fhall vanish. And indeed he will not only in fome. Measure humble and abafe, but utterly eradicate and abolish him, by the refplendent Brightness of his Coming, when Truth fhall

beam

8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord fhall confume with

the Spirit of his Mouth, and fhall deftroy with the Brightnefs of his Coming:

Spirit, which began to work in the Chriftian Church then, in the Pride and Ambition of fome Minifters, the factious Temper of many Chriftians, the Corruption of many Chriftian Doctrines, the impofing unauthorized Severities, the Worfhip of Angels, &c. of all which Things the Papacy availed itfelf, for acquiring and exercifing its iniquitous Dominion; and fo he that hindereth will refer to the Imperial Power, of which we shall presently fpeak, but of which Prudence obliged St. Paul to write with a Caution, which unavoidably occafioned fome Obfcurity.

(f) There is one that hindereth, &c.] Dr. Geddes very properly explains this of the Roman Emperor, who would not fuffer Ecclefiaftical Power to grow to an exorbitant Height, while he held his Seat at Rome. See Geddes's Tracts, Vol. ii. pag. 10. and as many good modern Commentators give it the fame Turn, fo it is obfervable that Tertullian, Auguftine and Chryfoftom, all agree in faying, that Antichrift was not to appear till after the Fall of the Roman Empire. See Archbishop Tillotson, Vol. ii. pag. 193.

Who deceived the World with lying Wonders;

9 Even him whofe Coming is after the working of Satan, with all Power, and Signs, and lying Wonders,

10 And with all Deceivableness of Unrighteousness, in them that perish; because they received not the Love of the Truth, that they might be faved.

II And for this Caufe GOD shall send them ftrong Delufion,

411 beam in upon Men's Minds with all its Sect. 2. Energy, and its most formidable Enemies fhall fall before it.

In the mean Time, the Monster of Iniquity fhall prevail, [even he] whofe Coming is according to the Energy of Satan, whofe Intereft he fhall re-establish, where it seems to be overthrown. That malignant and deceitful Spirit fhall therefore endeavour to promote this Antichriftian Kingdom to the utmoft, by all lying Power and Signs and Wonders (g), by a Variety of fictitious Miracles, fo artfully contrived and so strongly fupported by an Abundance of falfe Teftimonies, that many shall be entangled, deceived, and undone by them.

2 Thef. II.

And in the Conduct of this moft iniqui- 10
tous Defign, Recourse will be had to all,
Manner of unrighteous Deceit, which shall
be managed with the utmost Art and Ad-
drefs among thofe Wretches, who shall many
of them finally perish; because they received
not the Love of the Truth, that they might be
faved by it, but preferred those fecular View's,
which fuch difhoneft Practices promoted,
to the great Profpects of their everlasting
Happiness in an invisible World. And II
for this Caufe, when they have for a limited
Time been permitted to trifle with the Mef-
fage of his Mercy, and the Strivings of his
Spirit, GOD will in righteous Judgment
give them up to a reprobate and infenfible
Mind, and will fend upon them the Energy of
Deceit (b); he will fuffer them to deceive
others,

(g) Lying Power, Signs and Wonders.] It is certain that the Conftruction will very well allow us to refer Leudes to all the preceding Words, as well as the laft, and nothing seems fo natural, as to refer the whole to the fictitious Miracles of the Church of Rome, which have grown up to fuch a Degree of Extravagance and Effrontery, as even to make their Popes afhamed.

(b) Energy of Deceit.] Thofe moft ridiculous Popish Legends, which have yet gained fuch Credit, as to be admitted into their publick Offices, furnish out a moft affecting Comment upon thefe Words.

9.

Fff 2

(i) Hel

412

Sect. 2.

12.

believe a Lie.

12 That they all might be damned who believed not

the Truth, but had Pleasure

in Unrighteousness.

GOD having given them up to ftrong Delufion. others, till they are deceived themselves too; Delufion, that they should So that they shall believe the Lye, which they 2 Thef. II. have fo long taught: That they may all be condemned at laft, who believed not the Truth, though offered to them with fufficient Evidence, but on the contrary bad Pleafure in Unrighteousness (i) and Imposture, when it might ferve their prefent Intereft, to which all Confiderations of Confcience and Honour, Religion, and future Hope were facrificed. And this I leave upon Record, that fuch as are not entirely incorrigible, may be alarmed by this dreadful Reprefentation, and that others may be warned to ftand at the remoteft Distance from the Tents of thefe wicked Men, and though it should be at the greatest Hazard, to maintain the Caufe of GOD and of Truth against them.

Ver. 3.

Ver. 7.

L

IMPROVEMENT.

ET us behold with humble Reverence the Depths of the divine Counfels and Judgments: GoD hath been pleafed to fuffer the Craft of Satan to display itself, in reducing from his Allegiance a great Part of the Chriftian World, yet has he taken the Wife in his own Craftiness, fo far as to make that very Apoftacy from Christianity, an additional Proof of its divine Original. Who that had only examined the Genius of that holy Religion, could have imagined that fuch a Mystery of Iniquity fhould have arifen in it, and that Man of Sin have been revealed? Surely, when the Particulars of the Defcription come to be compared with the Accomplishment,

(i) Had Pleafure in Unrighteoufnefs.] I cannot but think this refers to many of the Priefts and others in the Romish Church, who impofe on the People known Delufions, merely out of Regard to fecular Intereft; and it wears fo dreadful an Afpect on fuch, and on thofe, who, on the like Principles, act the fame Part in the Proteftant World, if fuch there be, that I cannot but hope it may be the Means of producing in Time, fome great Reformation, when it fhall please GoD powerfully to imprefs on the profeffed Teachers of others, a ferious Senfe of the Importance of their own Salvation, and to make them feel how contemptible all worldly Emoluments are, when compared with Truth of Doctrine, and Purity of Worfhip and Difcipline.